Before the Towers Arrived

A pervasive broadcaster myth in the current debate is that the TV towers were on Lookout Mountain before the residents were. The implication is that Lookout Mountain residents should have to accept whatever hazards or problems are caused by the nonconforming towers, because people chose to move to this residentially zoned district.

This implication is contrary to the law and the facts. People not only lived on Lookout Mountain and Mount Vernon in the 1800’s, long before broadcast towers were built, but had also already established a church and a school. Central Mountains Community Plan, http://lariatloop.org/. Lake Cedar Group v Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners, Jefferson County District Court Case #99, CV 2007, Record 6264. The very site of the LCG rezoning proposal is part of a 1924 residential subdivision plat. Record 4975-7.

Mt. Vernon Towne was established as the first Colorado territorial government capitol, at the mouth of Mt. Vernon Canyon, in 1859. Rockland School and Church were built in 1870. By 1905, much of Lookout Mountain was already platted for homes. In 1912, the Cabrini Orphanage, at the present Mother Cabrini Shrine, was built.

During the same period, Denver Mountain Parks established a number of parks in the area, ranging from Red Rocks to Genesee and Lookout Mountain Parks. The Lariat Trail already existed when Buffalo Bill William Cody was buried at Lookout Mountain Park in 1917. The present Beottcher Mansion, which is now owned by Jefferson County and used as a conference center, was built that same year. The next year, Lookout Mountain Lodge was built on Colorow Road.

Lookout Mountain was the first mountain residential community in the Denver metropolitan area. It was well established long before broadcast towers appeared.

By the 1920’s, Mount Vernon Country Club Place, Lookout Mountain Park Subdivision on Cedar Lake Road, and Clear Creek Heights were platted. Many homes were built, along with several restaurants and an Inn. By 1948, this area was the most developed foothills community in Jefferson County. CMCP p 1-8. http://www.citymtnview.com/history.asp.

Broadcast towers did not appear on Lookout Mountain until the 1950’s. By 1955, most of Lookout Mountain was formally zoned as residential. At that time several towers had fallen over during construction or just been built and others were still under construction. Thus, almost 50 years ago, Jefferson County established that the land that is now subject to this proposal was zoned as residential and agricultural. CMCP Central Mountains Community Plan Introduction p. 1-8, and historic map in appendix.